BILL REQ. #: H-0942.2
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/13/13. Referred to Committee on Transportation.
AN ACT Relating to regional transit authority boards; and amending RCW 81.112.040.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 81.112.040 and 1994 c 109 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(((1) The regional transit authority shall be governed by a board
consisting of representatives appointed by the county executive and
confirmed by the council or other legislative authority of each member
county. Membership shall be based on population from that portion of
each county which lies within the service area. Board members shall be
appointed initially on the basis of one for each one hundred forty-five
thousand population within the county. Such appointments shall be made
following consultation with city and town jurisdictions within the
service area. In addition, the secretary of transportation or the
secretary's designee shall serve as a member of the board and may have
voting status with approval of a majority of the other members of the
board. Only board members, not including alternates or designees, may
cast votes.))
Each member of the board, except the secretary of transportation or
the secretary's designee, shall be:
(a) An elected official who serves on the legislative authority of
a city or as mayor of a city within the boundaries of the authority;
(b) On the legislative authority of the county, if fifty percent of
the population of the legislative official's district is within the
authority boundaries; or
(c) A county executive from a member county within the authority
boundaries.
When making appointments, each county executive shall ensure that
representation on the board includes an elected city official
representing the largest city in each county and assures proportional
representation from other cities, and representation from
unincorporated areas of each county within the service area. At least
one-half of all appointees from each county shall serve on the
governing authority of a public transportation system.
Members appointed from each county shall serve staggered four-year
terms. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of
the unexpired term of the position being vacated.
The governing board shall be reconstituted, with regard to the
number of representatives from each county, on a population basis,
using the official office of financial management population estimates,
five years after its initial formation and, at minimum, in the year
following each official federal census. The board membership may be
reduced, maintained, or expanded to reflect population changes but
under no circumstances may the board membership exceed twenty-five.
(2) Major decisions of the authority shall require a favorable vote
of two-thirds of the entire membership of the voting members. "Major
decisions" include at least the following: System plan adoption and
amendment; system phasing decisions; annual budget adoption;
authorization of annexations; modification of board composition; and
executive director employment.
(3) Each member of the board is eligible to be reimbursed for
travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 and to
receive compensation as provided in RCW 43.03.250.
(1)(a) A regional transit authority must be governed by a board
consisting of five board members, each representing an approximately
equal population. Within one hundred twenty days of the effective
date of this section, the regional transit authority must:
(i) Divide and number the regional transit authority into five
board member districts numbered one through five. The regional transit
authority must prepare and adopt a plan of board member districts as
required under and subject to RCW 29A.76.010 (3) through (6); and
(ii) Schedule an election of the board at the next general
municipal election if one is to be held more than ninety days but not
more than one hundred eighty days, or otherwise at a special election
to be held for that purpose in accordance with law, which must be
preceded by a primary election pursuant to law. The election of the
board must comply with Title 29A RCW.
(b) Following the adoption of a plan of board member districts, all
subsequently elected board members must be elected from the district
within which they reside. One board member must be elected from each
board member district, and a board member may not be elected from a
board member district in which another board member resides. Only
registered voters of a district may vote for the board member candidate
for that district.
(2) Board members must be elected by ballot and must hold office
for a term of four years and until a successor is elected and
qualified. Terms of board members must be staggered, and when
possible, not more than a majority of one must be elected to full terms
at any regular election.
(3) The initial terms of office for those elected at a first
election of all board members must be as follows: (a) A simple
majority of the persons who are elected receiving the greatest number
of votes must be elected to four-year terms of office if the election
is held in an even-numbered year, or three-year terms of office if the
election is held in an even-numbered year; and (b) the other persons
who are elected as board members must be elected to two-year terms of
office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year, or one-year
terms of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year. The
newly elected board members must take office immediately when they are
elected and qualified, but the length of their terms of office is
calculated from the first day of January in the year following the
election. Thereafter, each person elected as a board member must be
elected to a four-year term of office. Each board member must serve
until a successor is elected and qualified and assumes office. Upon
the election and qualification of a new board, the first board created
under this section is terminated.
(4) In case of a vacancy, a majority of the board must fill the
vacancy by appointment within ninety days. An appointee to fill a
vacancy must meet the requirements provided by law and must serve for
the unexpired term, at which time a successor must be elected for the
unexpired term. If the board is unable to fill the vacancy within
ninety days, the governor must fill the vacancy by appointment subject
to the requirements of this section.
(5) Regular meetings of the board must be held monthly or more
often at a time as determined by the board by resolution or as
prescribed by the bylaws of the board. Special meetings may be held as
circumstances may demand.
(6) A majority of all members of the board constitutes a quorum.
Absence of any board member from four consecutive regular meetings of
the board, unless on account of sickness or authorized by resolution by
the board, is sufficient cause for the remaining members of the board
to declare by resolution that the board member position is vacated.
Vacancies may also occur as provided in RCW 42.12.010.
(7) Each member of the board is eligible to be reimbursed for
travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 and to
receive compensation as provided in RCW 43.03.250.
(8)(a) The regional transit authority must redistrict its districts
no later than eight months after any of the following:
(i) The receipt of federal decennial census data from the
redistricting commission established in RCW 44.05.030; or
(ii) The transfer of territory to or from the regional transit
authority.
(b) Any change to a district boundary must be submitted to the
auditor of the county where the boundary change is located within
thirty days of approval of the boundary change by the regional transit
authority.